Trimming machine



Dec. 30, 1930. A T 1,786,676

TRIMMING MACHINE Filed April 24, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 30, 1930. NE. SARGEANT 1,735,576

TRIMMING MACHINE I Filed April 24, 1928 s sheets-sheet 2 Dec. 30, 1930. SARGEANT 1,786,676

\ THIMMING MACHINE Filed April 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gwua'ntoz Marya 11 Z hereinafter be definitely claimed.

7 by the arrow;

Patented Dec; 36, 1930 1 NATHANEDWARD SARGEANT,-OF Mournsnno, WASHINGTON 'rnnvnvr ns MACHINE ,7 Application filed April 24,

This invention relates to a trimminginachine and primarily it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind for trimming lumber in saw mills, although'it is to be understood that it is possible to use the machine with equal advantage for other Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind comprising a movable carriage together with means whereby the travel of such carriage is readily controlled and whereby the saw/mounted upon such carriage may be-driven'irrespective of the changing positions of the carriage.

The invention consists in therdetails of construction and in'the combination and arrangement'of the several parts of myimproved trimmin machine whereby certain important advantages are attained'and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use,-as will be hereinafter more fully set forth; I i

The novel features of my invention will In order that my invention may be the better understoochzl will now proceed to describe thesaine with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a trimming machine constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention certain of the parts being broken away, the carriage being in motion in the direction indicated Figure Qis a View in front elevation of the structureas illustrated in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken through the structure as illustrated inFigure l with certain of the parts in elevation and a guard or vshield indio'atediby broken lines, the carriage being in motion in the direction indicated'by -the arrow;

Figure 4 is a sectienal view taken substan- 1 tially on the line Figure 3, the guard or shield being also diagrammatically inch-- catedby brblinlines; v

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 3-;

1928. Serial No. 272,538.

t Figure 6 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of Figure 4.

' As disclosed in the "accompanying drawings, H denotes an elongated housing of desired dimensions andwhich, when the device is being used in a saw mill for lumber trimming is, preferably supported with its longitudinal axis vertically disposed. Snugtly engaged within the housing H for sliding movement is a boxing or carriage ,B. One

end portion of the boxing or carriage B is provided with opposed bearing blocks 1' which are slidably received between the guide'blocks 2 arranged at said end portion of the boxing or carriage B. The bearing blocks '1 after being applied are eifectively held against displacement by l the plate 3 which partially closes an open side face of the boxing or carriage B.

The guide'blocks 2 and the bearing blocks 1 coacting therewith are'provided to facilitate the proper application of the shaft or saw arbor 4 which is rotatably supported'by the bearing blocks 1 and extends outwardly through the outstanding bosses 5 carried by the bearing blocks 1. These bosses 5 ride within the slots 6 provided in opposed faces of the housing H.-' v

The shaft 4 substantially midwayof the bearing blocks 1' has mounted thereon a sprocket wheel a side face of which abuts an annular collar 8 carried by the shaft 4: and thesprocket wheel is clamped to the collar 8 for rotation with the shaft 4 bythe sliding collar 9 having direct clamping-coir tactwithtne face of the sprocket wheel 7 remote fromthe collar 8. i The collar9 is-adjusted into requisite clamping engagement with the sprocket 7 through the mediumv of the elongated shank or bar 10 threaded axially of the shaft l thr'oughan end therecieaid shank or bar 10 having its inner end provided with a mess head 11 having iree engage ment with the collar9; The cross head 11 adapted to have rnoyeinent within the slots 12 disposed I lengthwise of the shaft d The shank or bar 10 is of a length to normally PIQ'. ject beyond the end of the shaft 4: in which i is engaged, said extended ortion of 1165 shank Lot bar 19 being Pr v ded with ahead 1% by t 8., each of which slidably men an the gu; ways it carried by opp w of the boxing r V i).

liar-h of the boxings 18 has in threaded en gagemeut therewith from above a headed shank or member 20 which is freely disposed through the upper or top closed end 21 of the boxing or carriage B and provides means whereby the l .)Xl11g 18 may be adjusted as required to maintain the chain 15 sufliciently taut. One stretch of the chain 15 is provided with an outwardly directed loop portion 22 which is operatively engaged from within with the guide sprockets 23 and which has its outer portion operatively engaged with a drive sprocket 24. The sprocket 24 is fixed to a shaft 25 rotatably supported by the bearings 26 suitably affixed to a side face 27 of the housing H and at opposite sides of an elongated slot 28 provided in said side wall 27 preferably midway the ends of the housing H, said slot being disposed lengthwise of said walk The loop 22 is directed through said slot 28 and the sprockets 23 are arranged'inwardly of but adjacent tothe opposite ends of the slot, said sprockets being carried by the sl afts 29 also supported by the bearings 26. Operatively engaged with the bearings 26 and substantially enclosing the bearings 26 and the sprockets 23 and 24 is a cap or casing 30.

The shaft 25 projects a material distance 'outwardly beyond one of the bearings 26 and has its outer portion supported by an outboard bearing 31 carried by the adjacent side wall of the housing H and outwardly of the bearing 31 is a pulley 32 whereby the shaft tl'rroue'h the instrumentality of a belt may be operatively engaged with a suitable source of power. WVhile I particularly refer to a pulley 32 with which a belt is adapted to be engaged, it is to be understood that requisite i power may be transmitted to the shaft 25 in any manner which may be preferred.

Upon driving the shaft the chain 15 will be caused to travel to effect the desired rotation of the shaft 4 irrespective of the position of the boxing or carriage B with tinuously operate upon endwise movement or reciprocatory movement of the boxing or carri age .3 within the housing H.

A sprocket wheel 33 is operatively engaged with a stretch of a sprocket chain 34, said chain being also operatively engaged with a sprocket rotatably supported by the outboard bearing 31 and with a larger sprocket wneel 36 fixed to a shaft 37 rotatably supported by the end portion of the housing If remote from the shaft 4 and extending across a face thereof. he chain 34 passes around they sprockets 35 and 36 and has a stretch thereof operatively engaged with the sprocket said sprocket 33 constituting the driving element for the chain 34 resulting in the requisite rotation of the shaft 37.

The rotation of the shaft 37 is at a speed determined by the ratio of the sprockets 33, 35 and 36.

The shaft 37 substantially central thereof and between the supporting bearings 38 for the shaft has fixed thereto a gear 39 which is constantly in mesh with a rack 40 provided on and extending lengthwise of a rod 41 rigidly secured, as at 42, to the closed end 21 of the boxing or carriage B.

The sprocket 33 is fixed to a shaft 43 mounted between the side members of a substantially U-shaped bearing 44 having its intermediate portion operatively engaged with the housing H whereby the bearin 44 is capable of rocking movement on pivot 44a in a direction toward or from the shaft 25. The shaft 43 also has fixed thereto a wheel 45 the periphery of which is adapted to have frictional contact with the periphery of a pulley 46 mounted upon the shaft 25 so that when the wheel 45 and pulley 46 are in contact, the chain 34 will. be caused to travel to rotate the shaft 37 in a manner to move the boxing or carriage B in the direction indicated by the arrow at in Figures 1 and 3. The wheel 45 and the pulley 46 are normally maintained in contact through the instrumentality of a re tractile spring 47 of desired tension having one end portion operatively engaged with an extension arm 48 and withthe adjacent side wall of the housing H. This arm 48 constitutes, as herein disclosed, an extension of one of the side members of the bearing 44 and is disposed in a direction away from the shaft 43-,

As the boxing or carriage B is moved to cause the shaft 4 to travel inwardly of the housing H, said boxing or carriage will come into contact with an inwardly disposed lug 49 carried by an elongated member 50 supported for sliding movement upon an outer face of a Wall of the housing H by the bearings 51. The lug 49 extends within the housing H through a suitably positioned slot 52 of requisite length. The inner end portion of the member 50 is operatively engaged by a rod 53 or kindred member with the end portion of an arm 54 normally disposed in adirection substantially at right angles to the path of travelof the member 50. This arm 54 is carriedfby a head 55 supported by'the housing H, as at 56, for rocking'm-ovement toward or from the arm 48. This, head 55 at its end remote from the arm 54 is provided withan outstanding lug 57 disposed in a direction to- I pull being imposed on the arm 64, will bring ward the arm 48 and which, when the arm 54 is in its normal position has its free end portion slightly spaced therefrom.

' When the member -is moved by contact of the traveling boxing or carriage B with the lug 49, the head will be rocked in a di rection to bring the lug 57 into contact with the adjacent marginal portion of the arm 48 and thereby swing the shaft 43 in av direction to disengage the wheel 45 from the pulley'46 whereby thefurther travel of the boxing or carriage B is stopped Such movement of the member 50 under the action of the boxing or carriage Bis sui'iicient to cause the lug 57 to engage within a notch 58 provided in the coacting marginal portion of the arm 48 whereby said arm-48 is locked against the action of thespring47 until the lug 57 is released from the arm 48. I

- As thewheel 45 is moved away from the pulley 46 the p'eripheryof said wheel 45 is brought into braking engagement with a brake shoe 59 carried by an end portion of a lever 60. Thislever 60 is supported subStan-Y tially midway its ends, as at 61, by the housing H- for swinging movement in a direction to permit the brake shoe 59 tomove toward or from the wheel 45. The-end portion of the lever 60 remote from the shoe 59 has engaged therewith a retractile spring 62 also suitably connected with the adj acent wall of the housing H, said spring 62 having requisite tension to cause'the shoe 59 to have such contact with the wheel 45 when moved into release position with respect to the pulley 46 to effectively bralre's'aid wlieel-45 together with the shaft 43 against rotation.

The head '55, ormore particularly the lug 57tl1ereof, is normally maintained in an inoperative posit-ion'withrespect to the lever 48 i through the medlum'ot the retractile spring or) interposed between and secured to the lever 48 and the arm 54. The tension of the spring 63 is'also sufiicient to normally maintain the member 50 in its retracted position, or

the lever 69 and extending in a direction to- --ward the shaft 4'and thetree end portion of the other and thereby providing an intermediate cross member 67 which, upon further such member 67v into contact with the arm 48 and swing the same a'distance to effect the release'ot the lug 57 from thearm 48 In the operation of this device, the retractile spring 62 normally holds the lever 60 in substantially horizontal position andthe retractile spring 47 normally holds th'e'outer end of the lever 48 in a substantialhorizontal position'so that the wheel 45 will normally engage the operating or power wheel thereby rotating the pinion 33 which, in turn, moves the chain 34 and cooperatively turns the gear member 39 so as to pull the carriage B upn' ardly. hen the carriage B has moved upwardly to the point where it will engage the lug 49, the elongated member 50 will. be moved upwardly. With the move engage the arm 48 in the notch'58. When the lug 57 engages the arm 48, the arm 48 will be rocked on the pivot 44a and will carry the I wheel 45 out of engagement withthe power wheel 46a sufiicient distance to cause the wheel 45 to Contact with the braking member 59 on the arm 60 In this position, the car.- riag'e B may be held in upstanding position or at the end of the vertical travel thereof. l Vh'en it is desired to permit the carriage to move downwardly, the pivoted operating member 66 may be pulled downwardly by the workman and the downward movement of the lever 66 will disengage the braking member 59 from the wheel 45, At the same time, the outstanding cross member 67*willengage the upper edge portion of the arm 48 and pull the same downwardly thereby permittin'g" the wheel ,45 to idle, and'when the wheel 45 is permitted to idle, the carriage B will be able to move downwardly by gravity. It is of course understood that the weight or" the carriage B is suliicient so that it willbc able to-move downwardly in the housing Ti without the V necessity of any mechanical means to effect the downward movement.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that the dewnward movement of the carriage may be cushioned or retarded by sliglit release or upward mo nt of the lever 66 which will permit the spr 1g 62 to retract and rock the area so so as to the braking member i 59 to Contact with the wheel 45 during the idle movement thereof. Upon release of the :lfu '57 from the arm 48, the spring 47 will to return the wheel 45 into-contact lit) with the pulley 4G and the spring 62 will operate to return the lever ('30 to its normal position. It is to be understood that when the lever 60 in its normal position the spring -62 is substantially inactive.

The shaft l: projects beyond a side of the housing H and said extended poriionconstirules a mandrel upon which is mounted in any 'preit'erred manner a circular saw S of a type iu'eierred for the working Operation to be housin' as the boxing or carriage B moves in a d 1011 away from said head 69.

As .l are hereinbeiore particularly slated, roveu device is a lumber trimmer but understood that it can be employed with equal faciliuy as a rip It is also to be understood that the walls of the housing H and the boxing or carriage B are preferably made of metal although 1 do not wish to be understood as: limiting myself in this respect. It to be uniilers't-ood, however, that the carriage B and the parts associated therewith are of suilicient weight to require but slight eil-ort on the part of the workman in order to assure the saw 5 having proper engagement with the work during the sawing operation.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that atrimming machine constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modilication *ithout departing from the principles and spiritthereof and for this reason I do not wish (0 be understood as limitii myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts hereinshown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim l. A wood working ap mratus comprising a vertically disposed housing, a movable carriage mounted in the housing, operating means for moving the earriz u nvardly in the sensing, carriage stopping means cerricd by the housing and actuated upon move ment of ,.1d carriage at determined point in the line of its travel in ue housing, and carriage releasing means mounted on the housing and engaging said stopping adapted to permit the carriage *2 downwardly therein.

a .erl: disposedhousing, a reciprocable triage mounted in he housing, operating means; moving said carriage upwardly in El e housing, stopping m ans carried the housing and adapted to engage said operating A wood working apparatus comprising means whereby to stop the upward movement of said carriage at a predetermined point and to hold the carriage against move ment, and carriage releasing means mounted on the housing, said releasing means being adapted to hold said stopping means out of engagement with said opera-ting means to permit the carriage to gravitate downwardly therein.

A wood working apparatus comprising vertically disposed housing, a carriage, a s w arbor rotatably supported by the carr, power means for said saw arbor, a gear rack secured to said carriage at the upper end thereof, rack engaging means mounted on the housing, driving means. operating means for said rack engaging means whereby to move the carriage upwardly in the housing, releasing means mounted. on the lmusin g and adapted to disengage said gear rack operating means from said driving means, said releaing means being actuated by said carriageat a predetermined point in the line or travel thereof, brake means for holding the carriage in upward position, and manually operated means engaging said braire means to disengage said brake from said ".1 21? rack perating means while maintaining said gear rack operating means diseugagei'l fron'i said driving means whereby to permit said carriage to gravitate d0wn wardly in the housin at. A wood working apparatus comprising a vertically disposed housing, a carriage adapted for reciprocable movement in the housing, a saw arbor, means for rotatably mormting said saw arbor on the carriage, ope ating means for said saw arbor, a gear rack mounted on said carriage and adapted for movement therewith, rotatable rack engaging means mounted on the housing, releasable operating means for said rack engaging means, driving meansi'or said releasable operating means, rockable releasable means mounted on the housing and adapted to engage said releasable operating means, means for rocking said releasable means when said carriage has reached a predetermined point in the line of travel thereof,

brake means rockably engaging said releasable operating means for holding said carriage in upward position, and manually operated means engaging said brake means and said operating means whereby to disengage d brake from said releasable operating means while maiubaii'ling said operating means diseu ged from said driving means to permit the carriage to gravitate downwa rdly'in the housing.

5. A wood working apparatus comprising a. vertically disposed housing, a reciprocable carriage mounted in the housing, a saw arbor rotatably mounted on the carriage, operating means for said saw arbor, a gear rack mounted on the carriage, a rotatable'gear mounted onv the housing and adapted for engagement with said gear rack, releasable operating means mountedon the housing and adapted for engagement with said gear, an

elongated bar slidably'mounted on the hous ing adjacent the upper end portion thereof, an inwardly extending arm'mounted on said bar and adapted for movement therewith, said arm being adapted for engagement with said carriage upon upward movement of the carriage, mechanical releasing means for said gear operating means, connecting means connecting said elongated bar, and said re leasing means, brake means for holding said carriage in upward position, and manually operated releasing means releasing said brake meanswhereby to permit the carriage to gravitate downwardly in the casing.

6. A wood working machine comprising a vertically disposed housing, a'carriage slidably mounted in said housing and adapted for vertical movement therein, a saw arbor rotatably mountedon said carriage, operating meansfor said saw arbor, agear rack mounted on said carriage, a rotatable gear mounted on the housing and adapted to engage said gear rack, a sh'afti'o'r said gear, a rotatable member on said shaft, an operating member, I a second rotatable member swingingly mounted on the housing and engaging said operating member, a flexible member engaging said first and said second rotatable members, means for swinging said second rotatable member into inoperative position when-said carriage has reached a predetermined point in the line of travel, braking means mounted on the housing and engagingsaid secondrotatable member whereby to hold said rotatable members and said carriage against movement, and manually operable means tor, releasing said brake whereby to permit said second rotatable member to idle, said carriage gravitating downwardly when said second rotatable member is held in idling position.

7. A wood working machine comprising a vertically disposed housing, a carriage slidably mounted in the housing and adapted for vertical movement therein, a saw arbor rotatably mounted on the carriage, operating means for said saw arbor, a power member, operating means for moving said carriage and engaging said power member, mechanical stop means mounted onthe housing and adapted for engagement with. the carriage when the carriage has reached a predeter mined point in the housing whereby to release said operating means from said power member and coactively hold said carriage upwardly, means adapted to engage said mechanical stop means whereby'to release the carriage from said mechanical stop means, said carriage gravitating downwardlynpon release from said stop means, and cushion.

ber from the drive member, and locking ingomeans for cushioning thedownward movement of the carriage.

vried by said bearing, a pulley carried by the second shaft, means for constantly urging the bearing in a direction toward the drive shaft to normally maintain theipulley' of the shaft carried by the bearing in operative engagement with the pulley of the drive shaft, a rocking member carried by'the structure and coacting with the movable bearing upon. rocking movement in one direction to carry the pulley on, the 'movable bearing away from the drive shaft to release the shaft of said bearingtroin the drive shaft, a brake coacting'with the rockingmemb'er whereby to hold the carriageupwardly, andjmanuah 1y operatedmeans for disengaging said brake from said'driven pulley and for releasing said rockable member from engagement with said movable bearing while simultaneously main mining-said movable bearing a'nd driven pulley disengaged from said drive pulley wherebyto permit the carriageto-gravitate clownwardly.

9. A wood working machine, a supporting Structure, a carriage coacting with said structure for sliding movement in opposite directions, mechanical means for imparting up ward movement to the carriage, saidmechanical means including a rotatable ele- I ment operatively engaged with the carriage, anendless member operatlvely engaged with the rotatable member, a drive member, a

means operating upon predetermined travel of thecarriage by the mechanicalmeans for swinging the control member in disengaged position with respect to said drive member whereby to stop the upward movement of the carriage, and manually operated means for, holding said control member out of engage ment with said locking means and said drive member whereby to permit the carriage to gravitate downwardly.

10. A Wood working machine, a supporting structure, a carriage coacting with said structure for sliding movement in opposite directions, mechanical means for imparting upward movement to the carriage, said me chanical means including a rotatable element operatively engaged with the carriage, an endless member operatively engaged with the rotatable member, a drive member, a bearing movable toward or from the drive member, a control member rotatable carried by said bearing, means for constantly urgi11 the bearing in a direction toward the drive member to normally maintain the control member in operative engagement with the drive member, a rocking member carried by the structure and the control member .upon rocking movement in one direction to carry the control member away from the drive member to release the control member from the drive member, locking means operating upon predetermined travel of the carriage by the mechanical means for swinging the control member into disengaged position from said drive member and hold said control member against rotation and coactively hold the carriage in uppermost position, and release means engaging said locking means whereby to permit idling of said control member and coactively permit the carriage to gravitate downwardly.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

NATHAN EDWARD SARGEANT. 

